Progressive groups: Attacks on judiciary ‘unprecedented constitutional danger'
More than 80 national and local progressive groups are warning that the country is facing an 'unprecedented constitutional danger' over recent attacks against judges by President Trump and his backers on Capitol Hill.
The 81 groups said in a Thursday letter that Trump and his allies have threatened judges and law firms, along with introducing legislation to 'undercut and intimidate the judicial branch.'
'As organizations representing millions of Americans, we are profoundly concerned by these sweeping proposals and the actions of President Trump, his administration, and his congressional allies to intimidate the judiciary, dismantle the rule of law, and weaponize the executive branch,' the groups wrote in the four-page letter.
'The Trump administration's authoritarian actions threaten a system of checks and balances that has safeguarded our democracy for nearly 250 years,' they said.
The progressive organizations pointed to public statements from the administration, including Vice President Vance writing on social platform X in early February that 'judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power.'
The groups also highlighted previous calls by Trump to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who issued a ruling that barred the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants.
'Efforts to delegitimize court orders, threaten judges, and erode constitutional safeguards fundamentally threaten American democracy,' the groups wrote in the letter. 'Even more disturbing, congressional allies are now attempting to codify these authoritarian power grabs through legislation.'
The organizations emphasized three House bills that in their view should be rejected: a bill to make it easier for executive branch officials to move cases against them from state to federal courts, one granting the president authority to boost the number of lifetime district court judges, and a measure that limits the power of district judges to impose nationwide injunctions.
A large majority of Americans, 70 percent, said they oppose impeaching judges who rule against the administration's wishes, a new Marquette Law School poll found.
Some organizations that penned the letter included Accountable.US, Democracy Forward, Human Rights Campaign and Public Citizen.
'We urge Congress to stand firm against the assaults on our democracy by rejecting the JUDGES Act, the PEPPER Act, and the NORRA Act,' the organizations wrote, referring to the proposed legislation. 'We urge legal professionals to speak out against these unjust attacks.'
'Instead, we must strengthen judicial independence and reinforce the separation of powers,' they added. 'We demand that the president, his administration, and Congress cease attacks on judges and lawyers and reaffirm their commitment to the rule of law.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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